Xiaomi India releases Naya Note campaign for Redmi Note 5 Pro

Xiaomi India’s latest campaign Naya Note aims to build a stronger equity for Redmi Note 5 Pro in India following its launch in February 2018.

Traditionally, Xiaomi India’s customer segment are mostly males of age group 18-40 years. Naya Note is a light-hearted campaign with a simple, humorous approach, promoting the recently released phone.

It offers viewers with an unconventional take on individuals carrying on with their daily lives in bustling environments- metro trains, stock market offices etc; and are excited by the news of the “Naya Note” launching in the market.

The campaign banks on the strong sense of familiarity and positive excitement that the Indian masses, irrespective of their age, community or social background, have established with the “Naya Note” or new note which was announced shortly after demonetization. Redmi Note series which is the “Naya Note” of this campaign, is also increasingly becoming a highly relatable term in every Indian household. The Naya Note campaign for the Redmi Note series taps into this relatability element with a pure satirical approach, and offers Indian viewers memorable stories to connect to the nation’s love for Redmi Note series

The Naya Note campaign will run across Television, YouTube and all social media channels.

The Naya Note campaign videos are conceptualized by the brand marketing team of Xiaomi India led by Karan Shroff, Brand Marketing Lead, Xiaomi India and implemented by Lowe Lintas.

Manu Jain, Vice President, Xiaomi and Managing Director, Xiaomi India, said: “Choosing the Naya Note idea was a conscious effort from our side to highlight Xiaomi’s widespread popularity which Indians can relate to in their daily lives. Redmi Note 5 Pro, is already a leader in its market space and loved by many. We hope that our campaign can further elevate our consumers’ intimate connection with Xiaomi as a brand, and relate with the Redmi Note series at the same depth as they do with the term “Naya Note”."Arun Iyer, Chairman & CCO of Lowe Lintas, said: “The idea behind the Naya Note campaign was simple. We noticed that the mass hysteria that surrounded the launch of every new Redmi Note phone was similar to that which existed during the time of demonetization. We used a simple play on words to create a fun campaign that celebrated the anticipation around 'India's Naya Note'."

Dentsu Impact, the creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has rolled out a brand-new campaign for Mobiistar C1 Shine.

The campaign focuses on how a feature with a combination of looks can add value to a consumer through an interesting story.

The communication features young, energetic individual from a semi-urban locale who upon using C1 Shine sees his day transform into something magical. It’s a story where phone magically transforms a life of an ordinary young man by being his partner in crime. The campaign is titled ‘bade chamak rahe ho’.

The campaign will be rolled out pan India with a greater presence in offline, POS and other key touchpoint of purchase. In a segment that is price-value conscious, this campaign aims in garnering greater awareness and furthering the brand promise of Mobiistar of ‘enjoy more’ through an interesting and insightful storytelling, the agency said in a statement.

Speaking on the campaign, Anupama Ramaswamy, National Creative Director, Dentsu Impact, said, “Our consumer is constantly hunting for acceptance and acknowledgement from people in and around his/her life. Interestingly, ‘bade chamak rahe ho’ is a fun colloquial sentence that perfectly bridges our consumer's insight with the product truth of mirror-like shine. The film is entertaining and not preachy. The music will surely make you take notice and smile. All this helped us weave a story that we're sure it will add shine to its viewers' lives.”

Aniruddha Deb, Chief Marketing Officer, Mobiistar India, added, “In a category firmly positioned on features and price-value benefits, it is Mobiistar’s vision to provide value through the best of features at a price that is accessible to small town customers. A phone to this TG is not just a phone but a device that accentuates his personality and stature. Our campaign brings alive this idea perfectly.”

Facebook is beefing up its authorisation process for political advertisers in India ahead of the 2019 General Election.

According to reports, Facebook will strengthen efforts to verify the identity and location of political advertisers, which means that people who wish to post ads relating to a political campaign will need to provide identity proof and documentation of their address which will then be checked and verified on location by Facebook India's team.

Another way this verification will be conducted is by Facebook sending a verification code by post to the given address.

These political ads will then be saved in Facebook's 'Ad Library', allowing anyone, even those who are not Facebook users, to search for and find them.

According to Facebook, this verification process can take several weeks, therefore the company has requested organisations to begin the verification process well in advance.

However, experts have opined that these measures can still open loopholes which will allow “proxy advertising”, as in the case of the US mid-term elections, where third-party entities posted on behalf of political parties and candidates.

Similarly, in India, there is a possibility that publishers of fake news and news publishers with political affiliations, could serve as proxies for political parties. While on the other hand, the process may even exclude genuine news publishers from authorisation due to their content advertising, which will include elections and political issues, will overlap the 2019 election.

However, with the Cambridge Analytica scandal still looming large over Facebook, there have been increasingly louder calls for the social media giant to step up efforts to curb misuse of the platform during election time.

In August and September 2018, ASCI investigated complaints against 590 advertisements. For 131 advertisements, the advertisers promptly ensured corrective action as soon as the complaints were received. ASCI’s Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) upheld complaints against 355 advertisements from a total of 459 advertisements evaluated by them.

Of the 355 advertisements wherein the complaints were upheld, 201 belonged to the education sector, 62 to the healthcare sector, 24 to the food & beverages category, 24 to personal care, seven violated BARC Guidelines and 37 were from the ‘others’ category.

The most common reason for upholding complaints were unsubstantiated claims in the Education sector such as providing “100% placement”, “guaranteed immigration”, “No.1”. This was followed by exaggeration of product efficacy and exploiting consumers’ lack of knowledge, violations of Guidelines for Celebrities in Advertising, BARC Guidelines, Drugs and Magic Remedies (DMR) Regulations. Many of the claims were misleading and likely to lead to widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

Amongst various advertisements that were examined, the CCC observed that a renowned celebrity was found endorsing a well-known air hostess training institute claiming to be “World’s No. 1 institute”. Another advertisement had a popular celebrity endorsing an anti-pimple product promising pimple free skin whereas this claim was inadequately substantiated and misleading by exaggeration. Furthermore, a famous celebrity couple endorsed a soap brand; the advertisement implies that the product has the effectiveness of turmeric whereas the mechanism of action is due to another antimicrobial ingredient. These advertisements contravened ASCI’s Guidelines for Celebrities in Advertising.

DIRECT COMPLAINTS:

The following advertisements were a violation of ASCI’s Guidelines for Celebrities in Advertising. The advertisers did not provide any evidence to show that the celebrities did due diligence prior to lending their name for the endorsements, to ensure that claims made in the advertisements are capable of substantiation:

1. Frankfinn Aviation Services Pvt. Ltd. (Frankfinn Institute of Air Hostess Training): The advertisement’s claim featuring Alia Bhat, “World’s No 1 Airhostess Training Institute”, was not substantiated with verifiable comparative data of the advertiser’s institute and other similar institutes worldwide or through third-party validation to prove its leadership position (No.1). The claim is misleading by exaggeration and is likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

2. L’Oréal India P. Ltd (Garnier Men Acnofight Facewash): The advertisement featured celebrity Tiger Shroff. The claims, “Want to win the pimple fight? Then why soap, switch to Garnier Men AcnoFight facewash” and “Stay Germ-free, Stay Pimple free”, were inadequately substantiated and are misleading by exaggeration.

3. Hindustan Unilever Ltd (Sunsilk Think and Long): In the advertisement, celebrity Alia Bhatt was seen endorsing the shampoo with claims, “Sunsilk thick and long with keratin yogurt”, and “Two times thicker looking hair”. While the advertiser substantiated the claims, the disclaimer, “Based on lab test with Sunsilk Thick and Long shampoo and conditioner versus unclean hair”, qualifying the comparative claim “Two times thicker looking hair”, was not positioned in close proximity of the claim.

4. Medlife International Private Limited (Medlife Pharmacy): For the claim, “India’s Most trusted Pharmacy” the advertiser did not provide any market research data, third-party validation or comparative data (between the advertiser’s pharmacy and other pharmacies selling pharmaceutical products through online portals) to prove that they are the most trusted. The claim is misleading by exaggeration and likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers. The advertisement features two celebrities (Boman Irani and Varun Sharma) as well.

6. Reckitt Benckiser (India) Pvt Ltd (New Veet Nikhaar): In the advertisement, the claim, “With 100% natural Turmeric extracts”, (especially the emphasis on the presence of turmeric extract and in the context of brightening/nikhaar benefits) was considered to be misleading by ambiguity, exaggeration, and implication. The celebrity Shraddha Kapoor was seen endorsing the product by claiming “Veet Nikhar for Visibly Brighter skin” which was inadequately substantiated.

7. Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (Mahindra Scorpio): In the advertisement, an SUV was seen driving in the middle of the road on the straight line. As per traffic rules, one must not change lanes or drive on the straight line and the advertisement did not abide by the ASCI Code. This scene in the TVC portrays traffic rule violation, shows a dangerous practice and manifests a disregard for safety. It also encourages unsafe or reckless driving which could harm the driver and the general public. Furthermore, the visual in the TVC did not have a cautionary message drawing the viewer’s attention to the depiction of stunts.

8. Apple India Private Limited (Apple iPhone X): In the advertisement, a male protagonist is seen playing virtual reality game and is typing a message on the iPhone while walking on the road; he subsequently imagines the characters from game in real life and is seen jumping, kicking and hitting the creatures advancing towards him. All these acts are done by a boy on the road amongst people and moving vehicles. These acts show a dangerous practice without justifiable reason, manifest a disregard for safety and encourage negligence. The actions shown are likely to encourage minors to emulate such acts in a manner which could cause harm or injury.

EDUCATION:

The following advertisements were considered to be misleading and also likely to lead to grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers:

1. Asian Business School: The advertisement’s claim, “Highest package offered 15 lakhs per annum”, was misleading by ambiguity and implication that the said offer was achievable by their students.

2. Singhania University: The advertisement’s claims, “India’s first innovative industrial training based placement oriented education”, and “India’s first innovative competitive exams focused integrated curriculum”, were not substantiated with any verifiable comparative data to prove that they are pioneers in providing innovative training/exams. The claims are misleading by exaggeration.

PERSONAL CARE:

1. Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (Lever Ayush Antimarks Turmeric Face cream): The advertisement’s claims, “A skin care treatment formulated with 5000 years of Ayurvedic wisdom from the granthas” and “The purifying properties of Turmeric (haldi) are known to enhance complexion” and “Kumkumadi Tailam is known to cure marks” were inadequately substantiated.

3. Hindustan Unilever Ltd. – Pure Derm Shampoo: The advertisement’s claim, "100% tak Dandruff Jayega Aur Waapas Nahin Aayega” is misleading by omission and ambiguity. For the claim to hold true, it was considered necessary that the disclaimer mentions the duration of use (daily for four weeks) required to achieve “Up to 100% dandruff removal” state and that this disclaimer is legible.

HEALTHCARE:

1. Dr. Batra’s Positive Health Clinic (Dr. Batra’s Geno Homeopathy): The advertisement’s claim, “Geno Homeopathy – a breakthrough treatment based on Gene Analysis for ailments across all age groups” was not substantiated and was misleading by exaggeration.

2. Huxley’s Company (India) (Wintogeno Pain Reliever): The advertisement’s claim, “Most reliable and powerful pain reliever since 1899”, was not substantiated with third-party validation or any verifiable yearly comparative data since 1899 of the product and other products of the category. The claim, “No harmful ingredients used”, was not substantiated with evidence of approval from regulatory authorities. The claim, “Apply Wintogeno two times a day and take Wintogeno joint pain tablet twice in a day after meals and experience the double relief”, was not substantiated with any scientific or technical data.

1. Hindustan Unilever Natural Ltd. (Red Label Care): The advertisement’s claim, “De aam viral infection se zyaada suraksha” was inadequately substantiated and is misleading by ambiguity and implication. In addition, the disclaimers in the advertisement are in contravention of the ASCI Guidelines on Disclaimers for hold duration and legibility.

2. Marico Ltd. (Saffola Active): The product description on amazon website claiming, “Saffola active absorbs 28% lesser fat as compared to other oils”, YouTube advertisement claim, “Up to 28% less fat absorption” (Original Hindi claim, “iska low absorb khane me tel ka absorption kare 28% tak kam”), and advertiser’s website claim, “Saffola Active - Absorbs up to 28% lesser fat as compared to other single seed oils”, was inadequately substantiated and is misleading by omission. The advertiser is making a specific quantitative claim for the test done only on one food item, and not for a variety of fried foods that are commonly cooked at home.

3. Marico Ltd. (Saffola Gold): The advertisement’s claim, “Saffola Gold has Losorb Technology which ensures up to 20% less oil absorption in food, as compared to other leading cooking oils” was inadequately substantiated as the advertiser is making a specific quantitative claim for test done only on one food item, and not for variety of fried foods that are commonly cooked at home. The claim is misleading by omission.

4. Nestle India Ltd (Nestle Ceregrow): The advertisement’s claims, “Pet bharke to khila diya, par muscle bharke nahi khilaya”, “Pet bharke toh khilati hogi par immunity bharke nahi” and “Jiska har bowl hai bhara iron aur ghane poshan se” were inadequately substantiated. The CCC observed that the explanation for the claim of “Poora Poshan” given by the Advertiser is contradictory. On one side they claim that Proteins are 38% and Vitamins and Minerals are 15% of RDA for the age for which the product is made and not 100% RDA to justify the claim “Poora Poshan”. This is misleading because Consumer mothers may think that one bowl is enough of the daily nutrition of their child between 2 to 5 years. The claims are misleading by ambiguity and implication and are likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers. Additionally, the disclaimers in the TVC were not in the same language as the audio of the TVC (Hindi).

Leadership claims by channels / Violation of BARC Guidelines:

1. ARG Outlier Media (Republic TV): In the advertisement, Republic TV has used only two hours of BARC data to stake No.1 position, which is impermissible and in violation of BARC regulations.

2. ARG Outlier Media – (Republic TV): In the advertisement, Republic TV has made leadership claim under Single Event Reporting. As per BARC Guidelines, an event that happens five times a week for 60 weeks at a trot is distinctly not a single event. In the context of impermissible use of BARC data, the Ad – mailer contravened Chapter I.3 of the ASCI Code.

3. ARG Outlier Media (Republic TV): In the advertisement, “Republic TV has made leadership claim under Single Event Reporting. As per BARC Guidelines, an event that happens five times a week for 65 weeks at a trot is distinctly not a single event. In the context of impermissible use of BARC data, the Ad – mailer contravened Chapter I.3 of the ASCI Code.

OTHERS:

1. LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd (LG Refrigerator): The advertisement’s claim, “Linear Cooling” was not substantiated with technical data for product feature claiming to offer cooling all across the refrigerator. The claim, “Keeps food fresh up to 14 days”, was not substantiated with comparative data or with technical test reports of the product. The claims are misleading by exaggeration.

2. Shopkio: The website advertisement offer of “Attractive Blue Colored Printed Khadi Silk Saree Online”, with the visual of the model shown with the same colour saree, misleading by distortion, and misrepresented facts. The advertisement is likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

1. Udaipur Study Circle: The advertisement’s claim, “The only institute of UGC in South Rajasthan which has given highest selections in IAS/RAS/RPS and Teachers Post”, was not substantiated and is misleading by exaggeration. The claim is likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

2. HNN Institute of Practical Journalism: The advertisement’s claim, “Uttarakhand’s No. 1 and country’s upcoming news channel” was not substantiated with comparative viewership data to prove its leadership position (No.1) and is misleading by exaggeration and implication. Voice-over claim, “Guaranteed Job” was not substantiated with verifiable supporting data of e students with jobs after completion of their training programs. The claims are likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

HEALTHCARE:

1. Dr. Batra’s Positive Health Clinic (Dr. Batra’s Geno Homeopathy): The advertisement’s claims, “Gene-targeted homeopathic therapy”, “Predict and prevent genetic diseases 15-20 years before they show up in other tests safely through Homeopathy” and “With Geno Homeopathy, we combine the goodness of Homeopathy with the science of genetics to enhance treatment results” were not substantiated and are misleading by exaggeration. The claims exploit consumers’ lack of knowledge and are likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

2. Dr. Batra’s Positive Health Clinic: The advertisement’s claim, “The Homeopathy tablets remove/ gets rid of diseases forever” was not substantiated with supporting clinical evidence. Specific to the visual showing increase in stature of a minor, implying height increase with the use of their Homeopathy tablets, the TVC is in breach of the law as it violates The Drugs & Magic Remedies (DMR) Act. The claim is misleading by gross exaggeration and exploits consumers’ lack of knowledge and is likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

3. Dr. Richa’s Unique Clinic: The advertisement’s claim, “International Certified No.1 Clinic” was not substantiated with supporting evidence of the advertiser’s clinic being internationally certified and is misleading by exaggeration. The claim, “Height Treatment - increase height 2-7 cm within 2 months” was not substantiated with supporting clinical evidence. Specific to the claims implying treatment for height increase, the advertisement is in breach of the law as it violated The Drugs & Magic Remedies (DMR) Act.

2. Soham Aqua India (Kingfisher Spring Natural Mineral): The advertisement’s claim, that the advertisement depicting the Kingfisher brand name is a surrogate advertisement for promotion of a liquor product – Kingfisher Premium Beer. The advertisement is misleading by implication and contravened Chapters I.4 and III.6(b) of the ASCI Code (Whether there exists in the advertisement under complaint any direct or indirect clues or cues which could suggest to consumers that it is a direct or indirect advertisement for the product whose advertising is restricted by this Code).

3. Cadila Healthcare Ltd (Nutralite Mayo): The advertisement claiming to be “Healthier” was not substantiated with comparative technical data or scientific rationale and was misleading by ambiguity, implication, and omission of the mention of the basis of comparison. The claim is likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

PERSONAL CARE:

1. Lotus Herbals Ltd (Lotus Safe Sun Block SPF 40): The advertisement’s claim, “SPF 40” was not substantiated with evidence of the claimed SPF values. The claim is misleading by exaggeration and is likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

2. Henna Industries Pvt Ltd (Color Mate Hair color): The advertisement’s claim, “Hibiscus strengthens your hair and prevents hair loss” is misleading by implication that hibiscus in hair colour product would strengthen hair and prevent hair loss. The claim is likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

3. Keya Seth’s Ayurvedic Solution (Stoppage Cream): The advertisement’s claims, “Whether age is fifty-three or forty-three, you will look exactly like thirty-three” and “Stoppage Cream prevents skin folds, wrinkles, stains, and looseness, dullness due to the effects of age” were not substantiated with product efficacy data and are misleading by exaggeration. The claims are likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

OTHERS:

1. Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd (Godrej Air Conditioner): The advertisement’s claim, “India's Most Heavy-Duty AC Range” was inadequately substantiated and is misleading by exaggeration and implication. The claim is likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

2. Lenskart.com: The advertisement’s claim, “India's No.1 optical showroom” was not substantiated with third-party validation or any verifiable comparative data to prove that they are in a leadership position (No.1) in India. The claim is misleading by exaggeration and is likely to lead to a grave or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

3. Times Internet Limited (Gaana.com): The advertisement’s claim, “India’s Favourite Music App” was not substantiated with subscriber data or market research data and is misleading by exaggeration and implication.

Taking its thought of celebrating relationships a step further, JK Tyres has now rolled out a one-and-a-half-minute digital film titled #LetsRide, portraying a father-son’s beautiful bonding.
The father shown in the video is a single parent who has played the role of both father and mother for his son raising the child to be what he is today. The film narrates the story of a well-settled man who is staying away from his father due to work commitments. When the father, who has come to visit his son, insists on returning to his hometown, the son requests him to stay back as he misses his care and company.

From missing the dosa cooked by his father to reminiscing his school days when he was the only kid who would get picked up by his super-cool dad on a bike, the son gets nostalgic as his father continuously questions him about his return ticket. Finally, he finds him a purpose to stay and gifts his dad a bike.

The conversation, a sweet banter between the duo, keeps us glued throughout, and the heartwarming nature of the video is a result of not-so-conventional thinking. It goes on to narrate the tale of a father-son bonding where both have missed each other’s company and finally decide on riding together with JK Tyres to strengthen the bond between them. The video has garnered 888k views on Youtube so far and is already a hit!

The South Indian textile brands have always been a hit and now they have grabbed the headlines for several celebrity weddings.

While the Indian textile industry is considered to be an industry that has created huge employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled labours, India holds the second position in textile manufacturing category globally. They are also second in silk and cotton production. As per industry experts, Tirupur, Salem, Erode, and Coimbatore, known as the textile belt of South India, contributes to a major chunk of export revenue.

While South India is famous for its ethnic cuisines and tourism spots, it is also famous for its collection of ethnic saree varieties like Konrad Sarees, Mysore Silk, Pochampally, Gadwal, Kanjeevaram Saree and the textile brands never fail to attract customers.

How celebrities influence textile brandsIn 2018, few celebrity weddings made it to national headlines. Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Saina Nehwal, Isha Ambani were among the few who tied nuptial knots this year. The brides of these big fat weddings chose to drape themselves in designer wears on their big day. A South Indian brand grabbed all the attention during the Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh marriage. The sarees draped by Deepika for the Konkani wedding and for the reception at Bengaluru were from The House of Angadi, a very famous silk store in Bangalore.

Now, as per media reports, both sarees worn by Deepika which ranged from Rs 2-3 lakh have now been sold out from the store. This is an example of how celebrities influence a brand and help them in their business.
The South Indian textile brands have always been keen in appointing brand ambassadors for their ventures or products. From Kamal Haasan to Dulquer Salman, from Jyothika to Nayantara, the celebrities have added brand value to the brands and products through their endorsements.

Talking on the brands and celebrity influence, Vinay Kumaraswamy, Director, RmKVSilks Pvt Ltd said, “In today’s commercial landscape, celebrities exert an outsize influence on consumer preferences and buying habits. This has only been exacerbated by the exponential growth of social media as well as the increased focus on celebrities’ personal style and fashion choices. As a textile retailer, approaching a celebrity to endorse our brand would therefore allow us to reach a much wider and more varied audience than a conventional ad campaign might. In addition, the emotive connection that celebrities often evoke in their fans and followers perfectly blend with our own focus on wedding silks that can be cherished for a lifetime.”

Talking on RmKV’s brand association with actress Jyothika, Kumaraswamy said, “Jyothika’s collaboration with RmKV happened to coincide with her wedding to actor Surya. We were able to generate significant interest and engage with our customers through a campaign by asking them to guess what colour her wedding sari would be.”

“We eventually revealed that her wedding sari would be a new creation which, for the first time, featured 50,000 distinct colours. By tying together Jyothika’s star power with the emotional weight of a wedding sari, we were able to devise a memorable campaign. As a result, this special sari continues to be popular among customers to this day,” added Kumaraswamy.

Pothys is another brand which has signed a line of celebrities as their brand ambassadors. Pothys was the first brand endorsed by Kamal Haasan in his five decade-long career. The brand has made an entry into the city of Bengaluru earlier this year and has roped in Puneeth Raj Kumar as their brand ambassador, along with actress Tamannaah Bhatia.
Commenting on this, Arockia Raj, Media Manager, Pothys said, “We are making our first-time entry to Bengaluru and in order to connect and influence a mass audience we wanted a celebrity who has likeability factor among the people of Bengaluru. Hence, we roped in Puneeth Raj Kumar.”

Further elaborating the influence celebrities had on the brand Raj said, “Actress Trisha was the brand ambassador for our Samudrika Pattu. It’s been years now and even today people relate Samudrika Pattu to Trisha. And, signing in her to endorse the brand has also enhanced the product growth.”

Pramod Kumar, Head of Marketing, Ramsons Dhotis has a different opinion. “The textile brands are compelled to have a face for their products. For a long time, Malayalam actor Innocent was our brand ambassador and to give a young face to the brand we signed in actor Anoop Menon. But, either of those moves haven’t helped us in our business growth. According to me, brand ambassadors and business growth are not related at all”.

Brands are also using the celebrity status to spread social messages. The below advertisement from Pothys spread the message of Go Green. “When a celebrity is associated with a brand, a percentage of his or her fame is shared with that particular one. The fame of a celebrity helps in brand re-calling. In my opinion, presence of a celebrity provides more noticeability to a brand,” said a senior media planner based in Kerala.

Owners endorsing brands
A recent trend seen in brand endorsements have been the owners themselves becoming the brand ambassadors. Saravana Stores and Pothys are among the few brands which follow this trend.

“The reason why owners are appearing for their brand advertisements is to build trust among the consumers. There is a huge difference between a celebrity speaking for a brand and the owner himself speaking for it. The latter builds an element of trust among the commoners and it’s more like the owners conversing to the audience. This is a good trend as people feel more attached to the brand,” said a senior media planner based in Chennai.

Pramod Kumar said, “While an owner himself is appearing for an advertisement for his product, he is building a strong connection between the brand and the consumers. This brings in a lot of brand credibility.”

“Any brand, new or old, needs a known face to build a connect with the audience. People idolise and admire celebrities. So when a brand uses a celebrity it is actually piggybacking on their popularity and it helps the brand to break the clutter and keep the competition at bay,” said Balaji RD, Business Director, Wavemaker.

BharatMatrimony has launched a TV commercial “Find Your Equal”, featuring iconic sportsman MS Dhoni, which sharply focuses on women’s right to equality in a relationship.

Featuring MS Dhoni, the TV commercial depicts him as an equal partner as he shares an equal relationship in all aspects including taking key decisions jointly with life partner, sharing household chores and parenting responsibilities besides giving her space to do her own things.

Speaking about the “Find Your Equal” campaign, Murugavel Janakiraman, Founder and CEO – Matrimony.com said, “BharatMatrimony is constantly looking to break new ground and change the social perspective about relationships and marriage. We understand and believe that marriages are happier and successful when there is equality in the relationship. The insight came from consumer interactions and through surveys on social media. It is BharatMatrimony’s endeavour to understand changing customer expectations and aspirations and to highlight the same to drive social change.”

Elaborating on it he said, “Some years from now, we want to have played a significant role in bringing about equality in relationships. We constantly strive to offer services that are relevant to customers’ aspirations and therefore you will see changes in our product that reflect the woman’s right to equality in a relationship.”

MS Dhoni, while talking about why he endorsed the brand and the concept said, “I believe in the woman’s right to equality in the relationship. I’m happy that BharatMatrimony is taking up this important cause to drive social change. I’m proud to be part of the #FindYourEqual campaign that has the potential to bring about a social change.”

Commenting on the launch of the campaign, Arun Pandey, Chairman of Rhiti Group of Companies which manages MS Dhoni said, "This is a very well thought out campaign. It fits well with MS Dhoni's real life persona of a husband and a father and we are proud to partner with BharatMatrimony in this campaign."

Planning Room which conceptualised the TVC says, “Our idea came from observing lives of married couples across social strata. Women had many concerns ...felt their partners took their opinions selectively. Their family influenced big and small things. Simple everyday work wasn’t shared equally. Every day roles played out at home had strong gender typecasting. These serious concerns were a big put off to most women of marriageable age. With the Idea - “Find Your Equal” BharatMatrimony wishes to be the voice of millions of women who seek “Equal Relationship” in their marriage. We believe when partners in a marriage value equality, they see each other as equals, treat each other with respect, consider each other's needs, and support one another while pursuing their individual interest too. The campaign features MS Dhoni who plays an equal partner much like he does in his real life. We hope this inspires everyone to find their equal.”

BharatMatrimony will soon launch a 360 degree marketing campaign featuring ads to target singles of marriageable age across TV, print, radio and outdoor.

Liberty General Insurance has launched its first set of television commercials, highlighting the brand ethos as well as its health and motor insurance products and services. Through this TVC, the company aims to placate consumers’ worry on their claims getting stuck in the fine print. The campaign, ‘Milega Milega’, has been devised by PointNine Lintas and emphasises on Liberty General Insurance’s assurance of claims settlement that the consumers rightfully deserve.

The TVC is a light-hearted take on the lengths consumers struggle to get their claim settled. In both the TVCs of motor and health insurance, the protagonist takes a journey of penance hoping his antics will ensure a claim he rightfully deserves, only to end in disappointment.

The films culminate with a message, saying that with Liberty, one need not go through such pains as one can be sure of speedy claims settlement and fair play. The TVCs also highlight the USPs of Liberty’s products and services.

Talking about the campaign, Roopam Asthana, CEO and Whole Time Director, Liberty General Insurance, said, “At Liberty General Insurance, we have a legacy of assisting our customers with integrated insurance solutions. With this campaign, we are motivating people to fearlessly go forward and avail the benefits of being an insured individual. This campaign also marks a start of a new direction in our brand strategy and we have some exciting plans which will fructify over time.”

Speaking on the launch of the campaign, Pankaj Arora, President - Personal Lines, Bancassurance & Affinity and Marketing, Liberty General Insurance, said, “Multiple factors act as deterrent for customers in adequately covering themselves against risks, the prominent one being the fear of not getting claims. Our TVC is an effort to dispel this myth. At Liberty General Insurance, our constant endeavor is to provide seamless support in a customer’s insurance journey, including speedy claims settlement.’

Raman RS Minhas, Group Creative Director, PointNine Lintas, Mumbai, said, “The word ‘claim’ has become synonymous with ‘unsure’ – that is the default thinking in consumers’ minds today. The films are conceived to disrupt that thinking in a very quirky yet relatable manner, while associating the brand with the magical word that consumers want to hear - Milega.”

The TVCs will be aired on Sony Entertainment Television, Star Gold, Zee Cinema, Zee News, Zee Business, ET Now and Times Now. On Sony, Liberty General Insurance has come on board as Associate Sponsor for Indian Idol (for the pre-finale and grand finale episodes).

Another year flew by… and a lot changed. However, one of the things that hasn’t changed is the fact that the process of intelligent disruption for advertising industry is only accelerating. As we gear towards the end of the year, thought leaders look back at disruptive advertising trends that 2018 brought in. From AI and tech-driven marketing approach to how to cater to these changing contours of the business, industry experts share their take….

Video and the voracious Indian viewer

Browsing the web today is basically like watching an endless set of videos looped together on end. The same presents both, challenges and opportunities, when it comes to brand storytelling. Vikas Mehta, CEO, PointNine Lintas, opines that the biggest theme of 2018 has been the continued rise of video, with tailwinds helping from several directions. Mehta says that there has been a focus on video formats by publishers. “The trilogy of large publishers – Google (led by Youtube), Facebook (including Instagram) and Twitter – has been putting a disproportionate focus, driving video consumption.”

Mehta points out the factors that have birthed the voracious Indian viewer. “India has already become the mobile-data capital of the world in terms of per capita consumption. An average smartphone user in India is consuming 1GB of 4G data every day.”

He acknowledges that a great challenge for brands, marketers and agencies alike is to grab attention of this entertainment-hungry audience who’s watching a lot more stuff than ever before. Mehta recommends that it is not only storytelling that needs to evolve significantly to stand out in this new clutter of content, but brands require to expand their thinking, from being communicators to now also publishers/curators/ editors. “It’ll take a different organisational structure in the marketing teams and an ecosystem of agency partner(s) to succeed in this context,” he highlights.

The return of creativity

Has great creative lost its primacy and has it been replaced by media, data and strategy? Narayan Devanathan, Group Executive & Strategy Officer, Dentsu Aegis Network, South Asia, remarks that one disruptive trend that he has noticed catching on is the return of creativity at the centre of the business. “Sure, you have to up the game in technology—whether it takes the form of data or digital or AI or what-have-you—because that’s the latest medium for creativity to find expression. But creativity is the industry’s raison d’etre. And that for me is the most disruptive (if nascent) trend of the year.”

Agency of the future

The year has witnessed a couple of mergers of two diverse entities (JWT & Wunderman and VML & Y&R) to better navigate the demands of modern advertising. Another trend is how AI is being deployed far and wide in the advertising world. Making a case for these, Neeraj Bassi, Managing Partner & Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis India, says that the amount of conversations about future of AI, future of advertising and their combined future has been quite an earful. “For the first time, we had one brand mocking the trend by creating a spoof AI ad (Burger King) and another brand actually investing in creating an ad led by AI (Lexus). But if we go deeper, the bigger disruption in 2018 is the large networks waking up to the changing contours of our business. For once, there is an attempt to re-invent by changing the identity marker or merging two very different verticals into one proposition. I see interesting times in 2019,” he says.

Authenticity and truth

From mere cause-vertising creative showcases to brands actually lending helping hands towards the cause, purpose-led advertising has been taken to a whole new different level. The rule is about being authentic towards the cause endorsed. Says Raghu Bhat, Director, Scarecrow M&C Saatchi, “A brand espousing a cause is no longer a differentiator. In 2018, brands tried to go deeper and demonstrate their sincerity to the cause. In the quest for trust, even brand managers transformed into brand publishers and brand ambassadors. Also, once the selfie was about capturing perfection. The camera was an outsider, in front of whom you had to be at your best. But with the rise of self-love now, the camera is a buddy with whom you can share your raw self, warts and all.”

The power of programmatic technology and IoT

The discussion has been on for a long time now: IoT could potentially be the strongest ad network created yet. It's about the new advertising format that is more powerful than anything the market has seen. Ria Agnihotri, Associate Vice President, Geometry Encompass, argues that the ‘Internet of Things’ has become more and more relevant with it being able to connect different mediums, which primarily is, and can be further used, for different marketing touch-points.

“Voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant is a trend that has kick-started in 2018, and I am sure in the near future it will be present a lot more in the realm of advertising. Programmatic technology is shaping new opportunities and will create a space of its own, if it already hasn’t, to better targeted advertising across demographics. These voice assistants, in my opinion, can lead this space.”

The evolving landscape of MarTech

Advertising is just one form of marketing and AdTech is just one form of MarTech. For Shrenik Gandhi, CEO and Co-Founder, White Rivers Media, the one trend that has facilitated disruption in advertising across brands, markets, and audiences, is the integrated use of Marketing Technology, or MarTech, as it is commonly referred to in the industry. Gandhi reasons that as brands look to sound more personable and less corporate, they're now seeking innovative methods and devices that let them communicate with consumers in a more subtle and seamless way.

“This works for marketers on the whole mainly because an unwitting audience is a more receptive audience - when you don't realise you're being advertised to, you're more likely to have an honest reaction rather than a sceptical response. This tech-driven marketing approach is smarter, simply because marketing powered by technology - Artifical Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet of Things - lets us package branded content in a natural, organic facade. From something as common as a chat-bot, to something as novel as a customised Alexa conversation, MarTech is pervading numerous touch-points in our lives to increase the reach of advertising content,” he explains.

Gandhi summarises that while 2017 was the year when phones became exponentially smarter; 2018 is the year marketing becomes smarter!

Misbaah reports on advertising industry. Based in Mumbai, she interviews industry leaders in the creative, advertising and marketing space, reports news updates in the ad space. She drives the ‘Chillout’ section, and regularly reviews ad campaigns. In the past she has reported on mainline news, travel and lifestyle.

Aiming to inspire air travelers to not settle for second best, Vistara has announced its new high-decibel multimedia brand campaign dubbed ‘Fly Higher’. The Fly Higher campaign builds on Vistara’s brand promise, which is to make people look forward to flying again, and to expect the same level of class, quality, and attention to detail in the air as they expect in their other career, lifestyle, and travel choices.

Conceptualized by Vistara’s creative agency FCB India, the creative concept of the brand campaign is based on wide-ranging customer insights suggesting that discerning customers today are not willing to settle for less than the best. Successful Indians of all ages today live a life of a certain standard – they choose offbeat and challenging careers, create their own success stories, dine at fine restaurants, wear the best brands, pick uncommon holiday destinations, stay in the most stylish hotels, and expect the best quality and service in everything they select, but when it comes to flying, there is generally a compromise to select basis simply the fare, in the absence of compelling reasons to select basis additional attributes. Vistara challenges this by giving flyers a reason to select their airline too with the same discerning eye to quality and customer experience: Why settle for second best when you can fly the best?

Fly Higher’ is an extension of Vistara’s tagline ‘Fly the new feeling’. Vistara offers travellers a flying experience like no other, thereby taking flying to the next level.

As stated in the text that accompanies the inaugural campaign ad: “Smart was never for you. You went for smarter. Your rides became faster. Your tastes became finer. Your holidays turned grander. But when it comes to flying, why settle for the same old standard? Come aboard Vistara, where we have taken flying to the next level. Where the seats are plusher, the music nicer, the food tastier, the coffee smoother, the welcome warmer, and the entire experience classier.”

The new integrated campaign is scheduled to go on-air on 14th December 2018 and will run for approximately 75 days from the launch. The campaign will be deployed across multiple platforms including digital, TV, cinema print and outdoor, aiming to target the diverse range of travelers.

Commenting on the new brand campaign, Sanjiv Kapoor, Chief Strategy & Commercial Officer, Vistara said, “At Vistara, we deliver a flying experience like no other airline in India. Our frequent flyers know this and tell us we have really made flying something they can look forward to again. We want to bring this message to a larger audience through this new campaign. You have a choice of airlines when it comes to flying – why not choose the one that aims higher, treats you better, and continues to find new ways to delight customers? Good enough is not good enough for the corporate high flyers and successful millennials of today, why not choose an airline that thinks like you do, that understands you and respects your needs? Why not Fly Higher?”

Dentsu Impact, the creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has rolled out a new integrated brand campaign for the next generation Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. Positioning the Next-Gen Ertiga as a ‘Stylish New MPV’, the campaign ‘Move together in Style’ demonstrates how seamlessly the new Ertiga fits into one’s lifestyle. Maruti Suzuki Arena’s brand ambassador, Varun Dhawan has been roped in to launch the Next Gen Ertiga 2018. Evident in the new campaign, the new Ertiga is an MPV (Multi-purpose Vehicle) that is designed to suit multiple lifestyle across a variety of customers, while ensuring enhanced comfort and power for all.

As their long-standing partners, Dentsu Impact has been involved in conceptualizing and creating this integrated campaign for Next Gen Ertiga. The campaign is tailored to fit the consumer journey on offline and digital platforms through numerous assets and smarter use of celebrity for the “digitally savvy audience”. Beyond building awareness, the campaign intends to position the Next Gen Ertiga as the most stylish MPV.

Speaking on the campaign, Amit Wadhwa, President, Dentsu Impact said, “The customer today wants style and substance bundled together. With the new Ertiga delivering style and performance, the messaging we crafted was straight and to the point. The team had great time in conceptualizing and executing the language which will certainly resonate well with the TG”.

Anupama Ramaswamy, National Creative Director, Dentsu Impact added, “The Next Gen Ertiga is a great example of how a world of style, comfort, and performance brings people together. And this idea is a celebration of the same philosophy. Needless to say, this campaign saw the team truly working together in style.”